How to look up DNS records
- Enter a domain name, such as
example.com(nohttps://needed — it is removed automatically). - Choose a record type, or leave “Common records” to fetch A, AAAA, MX, NS, TXT and CNAME together.
- Press Look up. For TXT lookups, the tool also checks for SPF and the domain’s DMARC policy.
Lookups are made through Google Public DNS (dns.google) using DNS-over-HTTPS, so you see what the wider internet sees, not your local network’s cache.
DNS record types
| Record | What it does | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points a name to an IPv4 address | Your website’s server IP |
| AAAA | Points a name to an IPv6 address | IPv6 hosting |
| CNAME | Makes one name an alias of another | www → example.com, or a Shopify store |
| MX | Mail servers for the domain, with priority | Google Workspace, Zoho, cPanel email |
| TXT | Free text, used for verification and email security | SPF, DKIM, Google Search Console verification |
| NS | The nameservers that host the DNS zone | Cloudflare, your registrar or hosting |
| SOA | Start of authority — zone serial and timers | Troubleshooting zone updates |
| CAA | Which certificate authorities may issue SSL | Let’s Encrypt restrictions |
Why are my DNS changes not showing?
DNS answers are cached for the number of seconds in the record’s TTL (time to live). After you change a record, resolvers around the world may keep the old answer until the TTL expires — from a few minutes to 48 hours (when nameservers themselves change). This is often called “DNS propagation”. Lower the TTL before planned changes to speed things up.
Email deliverability: SPF, DKIM and DMARC
- SPF (a TXT record starting
v=spf1) lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain. Have only one SPF record. - DKIM adds a cryptographic signature; its key is published as a TXT record under a selector such as
google._domainkey. - DMARC (TXT at
_dmarc.yourdomain.com) tells receivers what to do with mail that fails checks.
Since 2024, Google and Yahoo require bulk senders to have SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up. Missing records are a common reason for emails landing in spam.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check MX records?
Enter your domain, choose MX and press Look up. You will see each mail server with its priority (lower numbers are tried first).
Why does the result differ from my hosting panel?
Either the change has not propagated yet (wait for the TTL), or your domain uses different nameservers than the panel you edited. Check the NS records.
What is TTL?
Time to live — how many seconds resolvers may cache the answer before asking again.
Is this lookup private?
The domain name is sent to Google Public DNS to resolve it, as any DNS lookup requires. We do not store your searches.